


A Kiss At Midnight

by SchalaDresdan



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Boys Kissing, Cinderella Elements, Costume Parties & Masquerades, Drinking, M/M, Mutual Pining, YOI Spooky Week 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-11 06:26:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16470461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SchalaDresdan/pseuds/SchalaDresdan
Summary: Yuuri knows that going to college parties is a bad idea. He can’t handle his liquor very well. He almost always ends up doing something crazy. And the worst part is, come morning, he can’t remember what he did.So how is it that Phichit managed to talk him into going to a party? Not just any party, mind you. A Halloween Masquerade party, being hosted by the most notorious fraternity on campus. Yuuri knew it was a bad idea. Until it wasn’t.Until Yuuri drank enough that dancing with the truly heavenly silver-haired boy seemed like the best idea that he had ever had.Until Yuuri kissed him, and left him standing there, in shock, as Yuuri suddenly abandoned the party.And thus begins Victor’s search, for the mysterious dark-haired boy that kissed him so passionately, leaving his heart yearning for more.





	1. The Masquerade

Saturday Night

Yuuri looked at himself in the mirror, eyeing the costume Phichit had picked dubiously. He  plucked nervously at the clingy fabric. “Phichit, I don’t think that this is a very good idea.”

Phichit replied, “Oh, come _on_ , Yuuri. The Sigma Omega’s Halloween Masquerade is the biggest bash all year! Everyone goes!”

Yuuri retorted, “Wrong. I have never gone. Phichit, you know that I don’t like parties. Especially _this_ type of party.”

Phichit scoffed as he finished pulling on his costume. “And that is exactly why you should go. You’re a junior, and I’m your only friend here. You need to socialize more.”

Yuuri sighed. “Why? I don’t _need_ any other friends. And the music will be so loud that I won’t be able to socialize anyway.”

Phichit whined, “Yuuuuri, you need to relax a little, have a little fun. You work too hard. Come on, it will be fun.”

Yuuri, exasperated, replied, “Fine, I’ll go. But only until midnight. Then, we both come home. Deal?”

Phichit nodded. “Deal.”

***

Yuuri walked hesitantly into the massive ballroom. _This place is huge! I knew that the Sigma Omegas have some amazing Alumni, and that they pay for this party, but isn’t this over the top?_

_I feel like I don’t belong here…_

Self-consciously, Yuuri tried to cover himself with his hands. His jacket had been taken at the door, revealing a costume that left little of his body to the imagination. Almost one entire side of the top was made of black mesh, and the rest was a skin-tight black material. A small half-skirt of material came out from his hips, the underside of the material a deep, dark red. The outfit was adorned with silver gems.

_This couldn’t have been the only costume left. Why did Phichit get this one? Why do I even have to wear a costume? I should have just stayed home…_

_At least the pants are just fitted slacks. And my face is covered. Hopefully, no one will recognize me._ A black domino mask covered his face, his eyes outlined with silver accents.

Yuuri resisted the urge to reach up and rub at his eyes, irritated by the contacts he was wearing. _I absolutely_ **_hate_ ** _wearing contacts. They feel weird. Usually I only wear them for recitals and competitions. But there was no way I could wear my glasses and the mask..._

Yuuri made his way to the open bar. He showed the bartender his hand, which had been marked with a large “21.” The bartender asked, “What will it be?”

Yuuri sighed. _This is a bad idea. I’m going to regret this in the morning. But…_ “I don’t care. Just make it strong.”

The bartender nodded. He poured an amber colored liquid straight out of a bottle and into a chilled glass, handing it to Yuuri. Yuuri eyed the liquid curiously, and, before he could change his mind, downed the liquid in one quick gulp.

Yuuri coughed and sputtered as the alcohol burned his throat on the way down. His eyes watered as he placed the glass down on the counter. His voice was harsh and thick as he said, “I think I want another.” 

The bartender sighed, but poured another glass. And another. And another. It wasn’t long before Yuuri lost count of the glasses he had downed.  

Yuuri’s insecurities melted away. He was suddenly filled with confidence. He glanced down at the costume he wore, and thought, _If I’m going to dress like this, I might as well act the part…_

Yuuri moved towards the dance floor, his body swaying in time to the music that reverberated through his body. His heartbeat synced with the steady beat of the music as his eyes swept the room, searching. _I need a partner. Can’t dance alone…_

_Oh…_

_He’s handsome…_

_I want to dance with him…_

Across the room, a young man with silver hair had caught Yuuri’s eye. His toned physique was accentuated by the fitted white shirt he was wearing, covered partially by a jacket of graduated pink. The tailored black pants he wore hugged his backside in all the right ways. Yuuri walked towards the man. As he drew closer, Yuuri noticed his eyes, accentuated by his black mask.

_What a striking color of blue. Do I know him? No, I think I would remember that combination of silver hair and blue eyes. Wait… silver hair and blue eyes? He’s the volleyball team’s ace. His name is Victor, I think…_

_He’s absolutely gorgeous…_

Yuuri sauntered up to his target. Victor’s eyes caught Yuuri’s as he cut through the crowd towards him. Yuuri held his gaze and licked his lips seductively. Yuuri smirked as Victor nervously gulped. _He’s interested. Good._

Yuuri closed the distance between the two of them and grasped Victor by the wrist. He pulled Victor closer to him and said into his ear, over the din of the music, “Dance with me.”

Victor nodded. Yuuri pulled his companion onto the dance floor.

***

Victor was stunned. _There is no way that this is really happening. Is there?_ He barely resisted the urge to pinch himself. _There is no way that the most attractive man at this party, Hell, the sexiest man that I’ve ever seen, is actually dancing with me! Not only that, but he asked_ **_me_ ** _to dance with_ **_him_** _!_

The mysterious man lead Victor to the dance floor. He turned back towards Victor, a smirk on his lips and a glint in his rich brown eyes. Victor gasped in surprise. _His eyes are so full of passion._

The man began to move with the music. He took Victor’s hands and put them on his hips. Victor’s fingertips brushed bare skin through the mesh of his shirt. The man then placed his arms across Victor’s shoulders, his hands barely touching behind Victor’s neck. There was no space between them as the man started to move against Victor, grinding their bodies together.

It was all that Victor could do to breathe. His whole body felt hot. _God, he’s gorgeous. Does he have any idea what he’s doing to me?_ Victor noticed the smirk still on the man’s face.

Victor suppressed a groan that threatened to escape. _Damn, he knows exactly what he’s doing._

The song ended, a slight moment of silence enveloping the room. The man looked up at Victor, his eyes half-lidded seductively, as he pulled Victor’s face down to meet his. His lips crashed against Victor’s, in a deep, passionate kiss.

The massive grandfather clock in the corner of the ballroom struck midnight, the chimes echoing in the quiet. The man broke off the kiss, eyes wide. He pulled away, his hand traveling down Victor’s arm. He took Victor’s hand, only to slowly release it as the next song began to play.

Victor’s mind was reeling from the unexpected kiss. _Who are you? You have to be a student here, they’re the only ones allowed into the party. So why is it that I’ve never seen you before. I’m sure that I would remember someone like you… Wait… Please, don’t leave… Not yet..._

As soon as he released Victor’s hand, the man stepped away and disappeared into the sea of party goers. Victor was left standing alone and forlorn in the middle of the dance floor.

_… I didn’t even get his name…_

***

Yuuri left the ballroom and ran right into Phichit. He sighed and said, “It’s midnight already…”

Phichit said, “Yuuri, if you were having fun, we don’t have to go yet…”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew. He could see all the signs. The slight swaying, the overbright eyes. The redness in the cheeks. He sighed deeply as he scrubbed his hand roughly down his face. “Yuuri, how much did you drink?”

Yuuri shrugged and stifled a giggle. “Um, a lot? I lost count…”

Phichit sighed as he collected their jackets. He helped Yuuri shrug on his jacket before putting on his own. “Come on, buddy. We better get you home before you pass out.”

Yuuri giggled again as they walked out of the venue. Phichit checked his phone for the info on their Uber, and, seeing a car fitting the description, waved at the driver. He opened the door and pushed Yuuri gently into the car, being careful of his head. He said to the driver, “Sorry, my friend is a little drunk. Please, just get us to the address I sent you, as quick as you can.”

The driver said, “Sure thing. There’s sick bags in the back pockets if your friend needs them.”

Phichit pulled one out and whistled. “You’re prepared for anything.”

The driver shrugged as he put the car into gear. “College town, on Halloween weekend? Better to be safe than sorry.”

Phichit laughed loudly, “I guess so!”

As the car pulled away, no one in the car noticed that Victor had exited the venue. He looked around frantically for any signs of the mysterious man that he had danced with so passionately. But there was nothing.

Another man walked out of the venue. He walked up behind Victor and clasped his shoulder. Concerned, he asked, “Victor?”

Victor turned to look at him. “Chris… He’s gone… And I don’t even know his name…”

***

Phichit grunted with effort. The ride back to their apartment was just long enough that Yuuri had become almost completely incoherent. _And now, here I am, trying to get him back into our upstairs apartment. In a building with no elevator._

He took the stairs slowly, carefully making sure that Yuuri had both feet on each step before moving up to the next. He asked, “What happened, Yuuri?”

Yuuri giggled as he leaned more on Phichit, threatening their balance. “Phichit, I had the best time. I danced with… oh, what’s his name…? You know him, right? He’s so handsome…”

Phichit asked, “You _what?!?”_

Yuuri, groggy, asked, “Um, what? Was I saying something?”

Phichit sighed in frustration as they reached the top of the stairs. _Who knows what he did or didn’t do? There’s no point in asking drunk Yuuri any questions. He’s barely coherent. Which means…_

_Sober Yuuri probably won’t remember in the morning._

Phichit sighed as he stopped in front of their apartment. He dug into his pants pocket for his key, and pulled it out. He slid the key into the lock and opened the door, ushering Yuuri inside the small common area. Phichit let go of Yuuri and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge. He pushed it into Yuuri’s hands. “I know you don’t want it, but you need to drink this.”

Yuuri scowled at the bottle, but sighed and twisted open the lid. He drank slowly. _If I try to chug this water, I’ll probably throw up. And I hate being sick. But if I don’t drink it, I’ll regret it tomorrow._

Phichit said, “I’m sorry that I talked you into going to the party. Are you going to be okay?”

Yuuri nodded slowly, the euphoria caused by the drinking and the dancing was slowly leaving his system. “Um, I think so?” He was still taking small, slow drinks from the bottle in his hand.

Phichit thought, _He looks like he’s about to fall asleep on his feet. Poor Yuuri, he really overdid it. I hope that he will be okay._ _I’ll just check on him in an hour or so, to make sure he’s not sick. He usually doesn’t lock his bedroom door, so it should be fine._

Yuuri finished the water and left the empty bottle sitting on the kitchen counter. He stumbled into his bedroom and tore off his jacket, throwing it unceremoniously onto a pile of clothes next to the closet door. Then, he peeled out of his costume. He sighed in relief as he unzipped the ridiculous, revealing top. He threw it into the pile as well.

Yuuri slipped into his comfy pajama pants and a soft, oversized t shirt. Then, he staggered to the bathroom, desperate to remove his contacts. Yuuri nearly wept in relief as he took the offending devices out of his eyes.

Yuuri returned to his room and crashed into his bed. He was asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.


	2. The Library

Sunday

Victor sat at the small table in the common area of the apartment he shared with Christophe, nursing a cup of coffee. Chris sat opposite him, his head supported on his palm. He smiled as he asked, “Still thinking about your Cinderella, Victor?”

Victor sighed. “How can I not? The sexiest man I’ve ever seen invited me for a dance, swept me off of my feet, and then disappeared from the party. And I don’t have a single clue who he might be!”

Chris said, “Oh, Victor. I’m sure you’ll figure out who he was. He has to be a fellow student, after all. You’re bound to run into him, eventually.”

Victor scoffed. “There are over 50,000 students here. I could go _years_ without finding him.” His voice went quiet as he added, “And to top it all off, I can’t find my ring…”

Chris sat straight up in his chair. “What? You’re talking about the signet ring, right? Your family heirloom? _You_ _lost it!_ ”

Victor nodded dejectedly. “I’ve looked for it everywhere. I even called the venue to see if anyone turned it in. You know that it fit loose on my finger. And I _couldn’t_ get it sized. I think it must have slipped off my finger somewhere. Could you keep an eye out for it?”

Chris leaned across the table and patted Victor’s hand. “Of course. I’m sure the guys will help you look for it, too. Don’t worry, Victor. I’ll help you find your ring.” _And your mystery man, too. Even though, I think I may already know who your sexy little dish might be…_

***

Yuuri woke to an ache in his head, and the unfortunately familiar feeling of dry mouth. _Oh, God… I drank too much last night… What happened?_

Yuuri forced himself to think back to the night before. _That’s right. Phichit talked me into going to the Sigma Omega Masquerade Ball. In that ridiculous costume. And I guess I drank too much?_

_I don’t really remember anything else._

He sighed as he slowly sat up. He said aloud, “I guess I’ll just have to ask Phichit what I did. How big of a fool did I make of myself this time…?”

Yuuri slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed, and cautiously rose to his feet. _The headache is not that bad… Phichit must have made me drink some water last night._

He shuffled out of his room and towards the bathroom, which was blissfully empty. Yuuri splashed some cold water on his face and brushed his teeth. Then, he poured a glass of water, and grabbed two aspirin. He downed the pills and the water before shuffling into the common room.

Phichit was sitting at the small table in the common room. He cheerfully said, “Good morning, Yuuri! Coffee?”

Yuuri made a face. Phichit laughed as he said, “I know, you don’t much like coffee. But it is the best cure for your hangovers.”

Yuuri sighed dejectedly. “I know.”

He sank into a chair at the table as Phichit stood and moved to the kitchen counter. He picked up a pot of coffee and poured a mug nearly full. Then, he added the sugar that he knew Yuuri needed to make the drink palatable before moving back to the table.

Yuuri grimaced as Phichit handed him the hot cup of coffee. “Thanks.”

Phichit grinned as he sat. “No problem. So, what happened last night? I lost track of you at some point. One moment, you were sitting at the bar. And then the next time I looked, you were gone.”

Yuuri stiffened. “You mean, you have no idea? Because… I can’t remember anything.”

Phichit leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “There’s no telling what you did, then.” He sighed. “Sorry, Yuuri. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what the rumor mill says tomorrow.”

Yuuri’s shoulders sank as he looked down at the table in despair.

Phichit sighed. “Don’t worry, man. You were wearing a mask. There’s a good possibility that no one will even know that it was you.”

Yuuri nodded slowly. “You’re right. There’s no reason to panic.”

Yuuri gasped as he looked at the clock. “Nope, I was wrong! There is plenty of reason to panic! My shift at the library starts in twenty minutes!”

Yuuri leapt from the table, hitting it with his knee in his rush to get up. He sprinted back to his room so quickly that the table was still shaking as Phichit heard the door close.

***

Victor sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he opened the heavy doors to the library. _So much has happened in such a short time. The dance, the kiss. It feels like a dream. Or a fairy tale._

Victor scowled as he walked towards the front desk. _And despite all of that, I still have to study. I have a test tomorrow._

Victor approached the front desk and scanned the area for a library worker. _I just need to find someone to let me into one of the study rooms. I’ll be able to concentrate better there. If I can manage to get Cinderella out of my head._

Victor shook his head. _Damn it, Chris. Why did you have to call him that? Now it’s the only thing I can think about._ He sighed as he hit the small bell on the counter. _Well, I guess it is better than calling him ‘that mysterious sexy man that kissed me.’_

One of the library workers came up to the counter. Victor smiled. _I don’t remember seeing him before. But, I don’t spend a lot of time at the library on the weekends. He’s cute._

The worker asked quietly, “May I help you?”

Victor nodded. “I wanted to use one of the study rooms.”

“Okay, let me check and make sure that we have one open.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he leaned over a computer.

The worker looked up after a moment and said, “It looks like we still have one available on the third floor. Will it be just you today?”

Victor nodded. “Yes.”

“Name?”

“Victor Nikiforov.”

Victor pulled his student ID out of his wallet and placed it on the counter. The worker took it and typed his information into the computer. He asked, “How long do you want to use the room?”

Victor replied, “At least two hours, possibly more.”

“Okay, I’ll block out three hours for you, just in case. Please check out here when you leave.”

Victor nodded.

The worker opened a drawer and took out a set of keys. He walked around the counter and said, “Please follow me.”

Victor turned to follow the worker. The worker asked, “Elevator or stairs? Or do you have a preference?”

Victor thought for a moment. “Stairs, I think.”

The worker nodded, as he started up the large staircase in the lobby. Victor followed, and attempted some light conversation along the way.

“I haven’t seen you around campus before. Are you a freshman or a transfer student?”

The worker shook his head. “Neither. But this is the first year that my work study has been in the library. For the last two years, I was in the mail room. Sorting mail.”

Victor grimaced. “Wow, that sounds… awful.”

The worker chuckled. “It wasn’t so bad. It was quiet, and the work was easy.”

Victor hummed in agreement. “I could see where that would be a plus. But since you were sorting mail, there wasn’t any down time, was there?”

The worker shrugged as he walked around the landing at the top of the first flight of stairs. “It’s not like there is much down time here, either. I have a lot of responsibilities. It’s more than just checking out books and reshelving them, you know?”

Victor asked, “Like what?”

“For one thing, letting people into the study rooms. I also help people find resources, both in the stacks, and online in our databases. And about a dozen other things that I’m sure you would find boring.”

Victor asked, “Do you like it?”

The worker nodded. “I like helping people. So, yea, I like it. A lot.”

The worker reached the top of the staircase. He turned and walked down a hallway lined with doors. He stopped in front of a door, labeled 303, and knocked on the door. There was no response. He took the keys still in his hand and slid one into the lock, turning it to unlock the door.

He said to Victor, “It never hurts to check. Even though I don’t think anyone has used this room today.”

Victor nodded. “Thank you for letting me in… I’m sorry, I don’t think I ever got your name?”

The worker smiled. “Yuuri.”

“Thank you, Yuuri.”

Yuuri’s smile brightened as he pushed the door open for Victor. “No problem. Good luck with your studying. Don’t forget to check out at the front desk when you leave.”

Victor nodded as he walked inside of the quiet study room. Yuuri closed the door behind him before going back downstairs.

Victor placed his books on the table and collapsed into a chair. _God, he’s adorable._ He shook his head. _No, Victor. You can’t. For one thing, you don’t know anything about Yuuri. And for another, Cinderella is still out there, somewhere…_

***

Victor walked up to the library’s front desk and rang the bell. He heard someone call out, “Coming.”

Yuuri came out from the back room. “Sorry about that. I was sorting the books that need to go back in the stacks.”

Victor flashed him a brilliant smile. “That’s okay. I just came to check out of study room 303.”

Yuuri said, “You only used two and a half hours of your three hour block. Are you sure?”

Victor nodded. “I’ve done all of the studying that I can handle for today. If I’m not prepared for that test now, I won’t ever be.”

Yuuri said, “Well, then I wish you the best of luck on your test.” He smiled.

Victor felt his heart skip a beat. “Thank you.”

 _No, Victor. Don’t do this to yourself. You_ **_cannot_ ** _fall for the cute library worker. No matter how adorable he looks. Or how endearing his shy nature is…_

Victor caught himself leaning on the library counter. Yuuri asked, “Did you need something else?”

_Your number…_

Victor shook his head. “No, thank you.” He pushed himself off from the counter. “Have a good day, Yuuri.”

“You too, Victor.”

***

Yuuri opened the door to their apartment, slamming it shut behind him. He yelled into the quiet apartment, _“Phichit!”_

Phichit stuck his head out of his bedroom and asked, “What is it, Yuuri?”

“An emergency…”

“What kind?”

“The worst kind…”

Phichit rushed into the common area, eyes wide. “ _Oh my God, Yuuri_ … Is it a guy? Please tell me that you met someone. Wait, where were you today? You worked at the library, right? Did you meet someone at the library. _OhmyGod_ , tell me everything!”

Yuuri scratched awkwardly at his cheek. “It’s probably nothing. I’m sure that he is that friendly with everyone. I mean, what are the chances that he would actually like me…”

Phichit grabbed Yuuri’s wrist, dragging him to the small couch. “Tell me everything!” Phichit was smiling from ear to ear as he plopped onto the couch.

Yuuri sighed as he sat down. “Where should I even start?”

“How about at the beginning.”

“You’re not helping.”

“Okay, I’ll be quiet.”

Yuuri took a steadying breath. “I was working at the front desk today. You know that I prefer to work in the back. It’s easier on my anxiety. But most of the Sunday afternoon workers called in sick today, so there was no one else there but me.”

Phichit nodded encouragingly. _I’m sure that they were ‘sick’. Hungover, more likely._

Yuuri sighed. “I’d been there, alone for a few hours. It was quiet, even for Sunday afternoon. And then, he came in.”

Phichit asked, “Who was it? Did you get his name?”

Yuuri nodded. “Victor Nikiforov.”

Phichit asked, “The volleyball ace?”

“Yep.”

Phichit thought, _Ah, he is handsome. I can easily see how Yuuri could fall for him so quickly._

Phichit asked, “So, what did he want? What did he say?”

Yuuri shrugged. “He wanted to use a study room? And then he made small talk as I showed him up to the room.”

Phichit snorted. “Is that it?”

Yuuri scowled at Phichit. “No, let me finish. When he checked out of the room, he… he smiled at me. And the way he said my name…”

Yuuri smiled at the memory, a warm feeling spreading through his chest.

“Um, Earth to Yuuri.”

Yuuri snapped out of his thoughts. “What?”

Phichit chuckled. “I was just saying that it sounds like he was into you.”

Yuuri said, “I don’t know… Maybe he’s like that with everyone.” _Isn’t he a playboy? I’m pretty sure I heard that once. And is he even interested in guys?_

Phichit sighed. “Listen. Unlike the rest of his fraternity, Victor doesn’t have a reputation for sleeping around. And I’ve heard that he only flirts with guys that he’s really into.”

“Who did you hear that from?”

Phichit grinned. “His friend, Christophe. We’re in Psychology 101 together, and he sits next to me. Chris has been more than willing to share his frustrations at his, what does he call him? Oh yea, his ‘uptight friend.’”

Yuuri sighed. “I still don’t know. It seems to me that Christophe Giacometti might not be the most reliable source of information when it comes to it. I think that his definition of uptight and mine are completely different.”

Phichit shrugged. “Maybe. And maybe I’m right. Maybe Victor was really flirting with you.”

Yuuri snorted “Not bloody likely.”

Phichit laughed. “That’s it, no more British TV for you.”

Yuuri threw a pillow into Phichit face, causing the other boy to give an indignant squeak. Before long, both of them had devolved into hitting each other with pillows and laughing hysterically. Yuuri felt like a great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. _Maybe he likes me. Maybe he was just being Victor. Either way, I think I’ll be okay._

_After all, I’ve only met him this one time. It isn’t like I’m in love with him._

***

The apartment door opened. Victor looked up, and saw Chris walk through the door, closing it behind him. Victor groaned. _I didn’t even realize it was that late already. If Chris is home from dance class…_

He asked, “How was dance?”

Chris let out a sigh. “Oh, so many people skipped tonight. I thought about it, to be perfectly honest. But I always enjoy myself. You should come with me sometime.”

“I’m not going to pole dancing class, Chris.”

Chris shrugged. “Your loss.”

He crossed the room and settled on the couch next to Victor. “I asked the guys about your ring. None of them have seen it, but they’re keeping an eye out for it.”

Victor started. _I had nearly forgotten all about my ring…_

Chris asked, “Are you alright? Or are you still pining over Cinderella?"

Victor groaned. “No, it’s worse. I’m still fascinated with Cinderella. But, there was this boy at the library…”

Chris sat up straighter. “Oh? And does this one have a name?”

“Yuuri.”

Chris’s eyes went wide in surprise. _Well, well, well. The plot thickens. I only know one person on campus named Yuuri. And I believe that he’s the boy that danced with Victor last night..._

Victor asked, “What am I going to do? I can’t fall for two people at the same time!”

Chris waggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Just do both of them?”

Victor stared at Chris in shock. _“CHRIS!!! I can’t do that!”_

Chris chuckled. “I know. I was only joking.” _Sort of…_

_Even though if, as I suspect, your Cinderella and Yuuri are one and the same, then you will have nothing to worry about. I still need to do a little digging before I’m 100% sure, but…_

_Victor might just be able to have his cake and eat it too._


	3. Lost & Found

Monday Evening

Yuuri yelled out, “Phichit, I’m going to the laundromat. You wanna go with?”

Phichit yelled back, “Sure thing. Meet you in the common room in 10.”

Yuuri grabbed the laundry hamper out of his closet. _I’ve put it off as long as I can manage. If I don’t do the laundry today, I’ll have to wear my leotards to class. And I_ **_refuse_ ** _to do that._

Yuuri threw clothes into the hamper. He checked the pockets of his jeans before adding them to the pile, pulling out the random things that he tended to stick into them over the course of a day. The jacket that he had worn to the party was still in the pile. Yuuri picked it up and gave it an experimental sniff.

He jerked his head back in disgust. _It smells of alcohol and… something else. I can’t quite place it, but it smells sour. It needs to be washed before I can wear it again._

Yuuri stuffed his hands in the pockets, pulling out a wad of tissues out of one pocket. In the other, he encountered something heavy. And round. Yuuri pulled his hand out of the pocket and stared at the item.

It was a ring. A very old, expensive ring from the looks of it. _Where in the world did I get this? And how will I find its owner? Someone_ ** _has_** _to be looking for it, right?_

Yuuri called out, “Phichit, can you come here for a minute?”

Phichit walked into Yuuri’s room and asked, “What is it? Are you ready to go?”

Yuuri held up the ring. “Do you know anything about this ring?”

Phichit gasped. “ _Yuuri!_ Where did you get that?”

Yuuri shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t remember. I just found it, in my jacket pocket. The one that I wore to the party.”

Phichit sighed. “And you still can’t remember what happened at the party?”

Yuuri hung his head in shame. “No…”

Phichit shrugged as he fished his phone out of his pocket. “We’ll just have to do this the hard way, then. Here, hold up the ring and I’ll take a picture. Then, I can ask around and see if I can find the ring’s owner, okay?”

Yuuri sighed in relief. “Okay. Thanks, Phich.”

***

Tuesday Afternoon

Phichit walked into the living room and sighted Yuuri sitting on the couch, binder in hand, as he poured over his notes. Phichit sighed. “Okay, that’s enough studying for now. Let’s go have some fun.”

Yuuri looked up, his eyes bleary from studying. “But, I have a test tomorrow morning.”

“And you have been studying for it for three hours already. You need to get out and do something for a bit.”

Yuuri said, “I have class later.”

Phichit groaned. “I mean something _besides_ dance class, Yuuri. All you ever do is go to class, or work in the library. You need to have more fun.”

Yuuri rolled his eyes. “I _like_ dance class.”

Phichit said, “I know you do, but you really need to get out more. And I think that I have the perfect thing. The men’s volleyball team is doing an exhibition game tonight. Come with me. Victor will be playing…”

Yuuri blushed. “I… I’m sure that he doesn’t even remember me. And anyway, he’ll be concentrating on the game. He won’t even see me.”

“But you’ll be able to see him.”

Yuuri sat the binder down on the table and lifted his glasses to rub his eyes. He sighed. “Okay, I’ll go. When does it start?”

Phichit grinned. “In a half an hour. Be ready in 5 so we can get there and get a good seat for the game, okay?”

Yuuri nodded. “Okay.”

***

An Hour Later

Victor wiped the sweat from his brow as the opposing side readied their serve. _Coach divided us up pretty evenly this time. And that side has Georgi, our libero. This is going to be a tough game…_

He glanced towards the crowd as he waited for the serve. His eyes were caught by the glint of the lights on a pair of blue glasses. Victor hissed in a breath. _Yuuri? He came to the game? Did he… come to watch me play?_

Victor shook his head slightly as he heard the sound of the ball being served. _No, don’t be ridiculous. He probably comes to games all of the time, and I just never noticed before. And anyway…_

“Victor!?! What the Hell, man!?!”

Victor started. _What?_ He looked up in time to see the ball fly over his head, and out of bounds. The student acting as referee blew his whistle, pointing to the other team and awarding them the point.

In the stands, Phichit sucked in a breath. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs, as he said, “I’ve never seen Victor miss. Not like that, anyway.”

Yuuri asked, “What do you think happened?”

Phichit smiled. “Well, he _did_ look at you right before he missed that shot.”

“Correction. He looked in this direction. We don’t know if he looked at me or not. In fact, it is likely that he didn’t.”

Phichit grinned. “But what if he _did?_ Yuuri, just assume for a minute that the guy likes you. What if he likes you enough that, at the sight of you, he was so distracted that he missed the ball?”

Yuuri scoffed. “Victor is their ace. There is no way that he missed the ball just because of me. I still don’t think that he saw me, anyway. He probably… got something in his eye or something.”

Phichit started to laugh. “Oh, there was something in his eye, alright.”

Yuuri playfully pushed Phichit, careful not to push him into the person sitting next to him. “Whatever. You’re delusional.”

_Victor didn’t see me. He’s already forgotten about me, right?_

***

Wednesday Morning

Phichit settled wearily into the uncomfortable plastic chair, dropping his backpack next to him on the floor. The man in the seat next to him asked, “Long day?”

Phichit eyed him warily. “It’s only 10 am, Chris.”

Chris waved his hand dismissively. “That doesn’t matter. What’s wrong, _mon cher?”_

Phichit sighed. “It’s just been a long couple of days. That’s all.”

Chris leaned towards Phichit in interest. “Oh? Do tell.”

Phichit said, “Well, I told you on Monday that I went to the party on Saturday night.” Chris nodded. “Well, I went with my roommate. He _never_ goes to parties. But, I convinced him that it would be fun…”

Chris pouted slightly as he asked, “Did he not have a good time?”

Phichit shrugged. “We’re not really sure? He can’t remember anything. Obviously, he drank too much. And he gets blackout drunk…”

Chris sat up straight and stared at Phichit in horror. “Oh, no! Did he get home okay?”

Phichit nodded. “Yes, I took him home. He’s just upset because he can’t remember what happened. And then, when we were doing laundry the other day, he found something in his pocket.”

Chris asked, “What?”

Phichit pulled out his phone and unlocked it. He quickly opened his picture app and found the picture of the ring. He handed the phone over to Chris. Phichit asked, “Do you have any idea who this ring belongs to?”

Chris sucked in a breath. He said, “This is Victor’s ring. We’ve been looking for it everywhere. Wait… is your roommate Yuuri Katsuki?”

Phichit narrowed his eyes. “Yes… How do you know Yuuri?”

Chris said casually, “Oh, he’s in my pole dancing class.”

Phichit choked. “He’s… _what!?!_ ”

_Chris is in Yuuri’s pole dancing class…_

Chris nodded as he handed Phichit back his phone, allowing his fingers to linger on Phichit’s longer than necessary. “Oh, yes. Your friend is a very talented dancer. Both on and off a pole. I believe that Victor was completely entranced by him.”

Phichit took a slow, deep breath. “Please tell me that Yuuri did not dance on a pole Saturday night…”

Chris smiled. “Oh, he didn’t. But I have no doubt that Victor would have enjoyed it if he had. The poor boy is completely smitten with Yuuri.”

Phichit sighed in relief. “Thank God… I think that Yuuri would have had a heart attack if I had to tell him that he _pole danced_ in front of practically the whole school…”

Chris chuckled. “You’re right. In a class of ten, with no one else watching? Sure. In a crowded party, with all eyes on him? Yuuri would die of embarrassment. Shame that. He’s talented…”

Phichit asked, “So… what has Victor said?”

“He can’t stop thinking about his Cinderella. But at the same time, since he met him at the library Sunday, he has been smitten with Yuuri. Little does he know that they are one and the same.”

“Cinderella?”

Chris chuckled. “Our code name for Victor’s mystery man.”

Phichit grinned. “I love it! And… did Victor see Yuuri at the game yesterday? Is that why he missed the ball?”

Chris chuckled. “How did you know? He was terribly upset with himself, too. He said, and I quote, ‘What kind of ace am I if I allow someone to distract me like that? My teammates deserve better.’ The poor guy has it bad.”

Phichit whistled. “Sounds like it. Think we should put these two idiots out of their misery?”

Chris smiled. “And what did you have in mind, _mon cher?_ ”

Phichit grinned. “Let’s get them to meet up. I have a feeling that if they meet face to face, that maybe they’ll hit it off.”

Chris’s bright smile echoed Phichit’s. “I see. Then, let’s. Knowing Yuuri, I think that you will need to let him initiate this.”

Phichit nodded. “Without a doubt. If he feels pressured into a meeting, the whole thing could very well blow up in our faces.”

Chris scowled. “That wouldn’t do. Those two would be good together, if given the chance. We just need to tread lightly, and allow Yuuri to make the first move.”

“Exactly. Here, give me your number, and I’ll text you after I talk to Yuuri.”

Chris grinned as he took Phichit’s phone and entered his number. “I thought you’d never ask…”

***

Wednesday Afternoon

Phichit busted through the front door of the apartment and yelled, “Yuuri, I need to talk to you before you go to class!”

Yuuri looked up from his spot on the couch and asked, “What is it?”

Phichit said, “I found out something…”

“What did you find out?”

“Only what you did at the party.”

Yuuri groaned. “Oh, God. What did I do? And who do I need to apologize to?”

Phichit chuckled. “It’s nothing like that. Actually, you danced with someone that night. And they have been trying to find you since then. _And_ you accidentally took their ring with you when you left…”

Yuuri hesitantly asked, “Who was it?”

Phichit grinned. “Victor.”

Yuuri’s eyes went wide as he yelled, “ _Victor?_ I danced with _Victor Nikiforov!?!”_

Phichit nodded. “And obviously, he enjoyed it.”

“Pinch me, Phichit. I _have_ to be dreaming.”

Phichit reached over and pinched Yuuri on the arm. Yuuri cried out, “Oww!”

He rubbed the place on his arm and glared at Phichit. “Hey, you told me to do it.”

Yuuri mumbled, “Yea, but I didn’t think that you would actually pinch me…”

Phichit said, “Not to change the subject, but you have some decisions to make.” He held up one finger. “Number 1: Victor has been looking for you since the party. You need to decide whether or not you want to be found.”

Yuuri nodded slowly. “I guess… But…”

Phichit held up two fingers. “Number 2: Regardless of whether or not you try to date him, which I think you should, you need to return his ring. That thing is irreplaceable, and he’s probably going out of his mind trying to find it.”

Yuuri said, “That’s true, but I can always…”

Phichit interrupted him, holding up a third finger. “Number 3, and most important of all: You came in Sunday gushing about Victor and how nice and handsome you thought he was. At the least, you have a crush. You _owe_ it to yourself, Yuuri, to see if this can go anywhere.”

Yuuri sighed. “But why would someone like Victor want to date someone like me? I’m normal, plain, ordinary. He’s… _Victor_ …”

Phichit said, “And he likes you. Twice over. He has been _looking_ for you, Yuuri.  And he was definitely flirting with you at the library. Just, take the chance and believe that he _might_ actually be interested? What do you have to lose?”

Yuuri mumbled, “My dignity…”

Phichit groaned. “Yuuuuri… _Come on!_ He likes you. Give this a chance. Please, for me.”

Yuuri sighed. “Okay, but if this blows up in my face, you owe me a carton of ice cream and the drink of my choice. Deal?”

Phichit grinned. “Deal. I’ll set up a meeting with Christophe.”

***

Wednesday Evening

Victor ran his hands nervously through his hair as he paced back and forth in the empty quad. “You’re sure that this is the right guy? That the shy boy that I met at the library Sunday is really Cinderella?”

Chris, exasperated, replied, “Yes, Victor. For the hundredth time, Yuuri is Cinderella. Trust me, I watch him dance twice a week in class. I was fairly certain it was him. Talking to Phichit just confirmed my suspicions. Plus, the boy found your ring in his pocket. Who else could have possibly had it?”

Victor stopped pacing and looked up at Chris. “That’s true. It would make sense.”

Chris chuckled softly. Victor asked, “What are you laughing about?”

Chris smiled. “Leave it to you to fall for the same person twice.”

Victor shrugged. “I guess it is kinda funny. And here I was, stressing out because I thought I was falling for two different people at the same time.”

From across the quad, Victor saw two people approaching. “I think they’re here.”

Chris nodded as he walked up to stand next to Victor. “Are you ready?”

Victor asked, “What am I going to say to him, Chris? I don’t want to scare him off.”

“Then let him talk to you first. Even if it’s awkward.”

Victor nodded and swallowed hard as the pair drew nearer. _My hands are shaking, and my stomach feels queasy. I’m more nervous than I was at the state finals last year…_

_… And he looks like he’s going to be ill…_

Yuuri’s complexion was pale, and he was visibly shaking. Phichit whispered, “I’m right here, Yuuri. And I’ll stay, if you want.”

Yuuri shook his head. “No, I want to talk to Victor. Alone. Thanks, Phich.”

Phichit shrugged and looked up at Chris. “Shall we, then?”

Chris winked and slung an arm around Phichit’s shoulders. “Of course, _mon cher._ ”

Victor smiled slightly as the two walked off. _He’s already broken out the French. I hope that Yuuri’s friend knows what he’s getting himself into…_

Yuuri took a deep breath and let it out slowly, holding out the ring towards Victor. “Um, I’m sorry about your ring. I didn’t mean to take it…”

Victor stepped closer and let Yuuri drop the ring into his palm. He said, “I know. It’s okay.”

Victor slipped the ring back onto his finger. Yuuri felt tears threaten behind his eyes. _No, don’t you dare cry, Katsuki Yuuri. You still have a chance to make a good impression on Victor. But that will all go out the window if you start to cry…_

Victor asked, “Yuuri, are you okay?”

Yuuri nodded, and hung his head. “I… I need to apologize for Saturday. I was really drunk, and I didn’t know what I was doing, so I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, or crossed the line. I don’t even remember what happened…”

Victor gasped. “What? You don’t remember?”

Yuuri shook his head dejectedly. “So just tell me what I did, so I can apologize for it?”

Victor reached out and took one of Yuuri’s hands. Yuuri looked up in surprise as Victor said, “No, Yuuri. Please, you have nothing to apologize for. I had a wonderful night. And it was all thanks to you.”

Incredulous, Yuuri asked, “What?”

Victor said, “It’s true. You looked so sexy in that outfit. I noticed you the moment that you started striding across the dance floor. And then you came up to me and asked me to dance. And God, it was the most fun I’ve ever had.”

He smiled dreamily. “And then, there was the kiss…”

Yuuri squeaked out, “The kiss?”

Victor nodded. “Yes, before you left, you pulled me into a kiss. It was…” He sighed. “I can’t explain it…”

“Let me show you.”

Yuuri was stunned. _He… he wants to kiss me? Is this real? It can’t be, can it? There’s no way that Victor wants to kiss me. He could literally have anyone that he wanted. Why in the world would he ever want someone like me? Why…?_

His thoughts were interrupted when Victor gently took his chin and tilted it up. He brought his lips closer to Yuuri’s and asked, “Is this okay?”

Yuuri licked his lips. He softly answered, “Yes.”

Victor smiled as he moved his lips to claim Yuuri’s in a soft, gentle kiss. Yuuri gasped at the sensations flowing through him. Victor pulled away slowly.

Victor asked, “So, would you like to go out with me this weekend?”

Dazed, Yuuri said, “Yes… But I wish I didn’t have to wait…”

Victor smiled. “Who said that you had to?”

Yuuri smiled as he pulled Victor down into another kiss.

***

Chris looked at Phichit. “It seems that it all worked out for them. Victor found his Cinderella.”

Phichit asked, “Why did you call him that anyway?”

Chris shrugged. “He ran away from the party, at midnight no less, and disappeared. By the time that Victor made it through the crowd to look for him, he was gone without a trace. Cinderella seemed to fit.”

Phichit chuckled. “Okay, I can totally see that. But here’s what happened. He and I had agreed that we would leave at midnight. I already had an Uber lined up for us. So as soon as we hit the door, it was there waiting for us.”

Chris sighed dramatically. “And here I was hoping for a pumpkin carriage drawn by dormice…”

Phichit laughed. “This isn’t a fairy tale, Chris.”

Chris smiled as he pointed at Victor and Yuuri. “I don’t know about that. It seems like they may have found their fairy tale ending. Or at least, I hope that they have.”

Phichit grinned. “Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At that's it. I hope that you enjoyed this short fic. Thank you all for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for Day 4 of Spooky Week (Halloween/Costume Party). I will post one chapter a week until it is done. 
> 
> Check out my Tumblr page for updates on my fics: [ schaladresdan](http://schaladresdan.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are always welcome.


End file.
